##@@*§==~,                                          ,~==§*@@##
#@@*§==~,,                                          ,,~==§*@@#
@@*§==~,,,                                          ,,,~==§*@@
@*§==~,,,,                                          ,,,,~==§*@
@@*§==~,,,                                          ,,,~==§*@@
#@@*§==~,,             ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,             ,,~==§*@@#
##@@*§==~,             THE ALVAR FIELDS             ,~==§*@@##
#@@*§==~,,             ***##########***             ,,~==§*@@#
@@*§==~,,,                                          ,,,~==§*@@
@*§==~,,,, FROM  NORTH   TO   SOUTH,   THIRTY   ODD ,,,,~==§*@
@@*§==~,,, KILOMETERS.  FROM  WEST  TO  EAST,  FOUR ,,,~==§*@@
#@@*§==~,, THOUSAND  METERS. FROM TOPSOIL TO STONE, ,,~==§*@@#
##@@*§==~, A  FOOT  OR TWO. NO ROOTS CAN FESTER, NO ,~==§*@@##
#@@*§==~,,             DUST CAN LINGER.             ,,~==§*@@#
@@*§==~,,,                                          ,,,~==§*@@
@*§==~,,,, HERE  IS  EARTH,  CLAY, AND  STURDY  LOW ,,,,~==§*@
@@*§==~,,, PLANTS.  BUSHES  FRAME  THE  STRIP.  THE ,,,~==§*@@
#@@*§==~,, EARTH IS  BARE  IN PATCHES AS  LARGE  AS ,,~==§*@@#
##@@*§==~,               YOU AND ME.                ,~==§*@@##
#@@*§==~,,                                          ,,~==§*@@#
@@*§==~,,, CROSS  IT TO GET TO THE OCEAN, OR  DON'T ,,,~==§*@@
@*§==~,,,,          TO STAY WHERE YOU ARE.          ,,,,~==§*@
@@*§==~,,,                                          ,,,~==§*@@
#@@*§==~,,                                          ,,~==§*@@#
##@@*§==~,                                          ,~==§*@@##
#@@*§==~,,                                          ,,~==§*@@#
@@*§==~,,,                                          ,,,~==§*@@
@*§==~,,,,                                          ,,,,~==§*@